Zaki Muhammed

Zaki Muhammed (5 May 1980-1 July 2006) was a military and political leader of Fatah. Muhammed was a top general of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, and although the name implies that the group is Muslim, he was actually a Christian.

Biography
Zaki Muhammed was born on 5 May 1980 in East Jerusalem, Israel. Zaki's family were Christian Palestinians, but they affiliated with Muslims during the struggle for Palestine's independence from Israel. Muhammed became a supporter of democratic socialism, and he graduated from the University of Baghdad in 2001 with a degree in history. Muhammed joined the Fatah political party and was given a post as a commander of the military al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a group of terrorist fighters whose goal was to take over Jerusalem for the Palestinians.

During Operation Falling Comet in the Gaza Strip, Muhammed was among the targeted Palestinian leaders. His death order was signed because of his leadership post in Fatah, and also because he was a major envoy between the Fatah and Hamas terrorist groups. Muhammed was killed during the shelling of the Gaza City neighborhood of Jabalia in 2006 during Operation Falling Comet, with an Israeli Defense Force naval gun firing explosive ordinance at the book store that he used as his base of operations. Fatah condemned Israel's moves, and their spokesman Rifaat Ibrahim said, "the reason behind Zaki Muhammed's death defies explanation. We expect an answer for this political assassination". Israel never responded to Fatah, and the operation ended later in July, leaving 565 Hamas and Fatah troops dead.